Tabling: The Duchess of Malfi Introduction

Join the fantastic-transatlantic-LAMDA-trained crew of Emily Ota, Samantha Blinn, Will McKay, Robyn Hoedemaker, Zoë Goslin, John MacCormick, Sam Jenkins-Shaw, Bathsheba Piepe, Sally O' Leary & Ariana Karp as we dive into the murky depths of the world of John Webster. 

Ariana gives us the history and dramaturgy around James I, John Webster and Jacobean cultural history. To put this into perspective, Shakespeare's plays could be divided into his "Elizabethan" and "Jacobean" eras. Some of Shakespeare's Jacobean plays are: Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Measure for Measure, Coriolanus, Winter's Tale among others. The verse structure becomes more complicated, more rhythmic irregularities. 

Emily gives us the thematic breakdown of Jacobean plays, delving into the meta-theatrical, visceral, messy, dirty, passionate, madness, murder, chaos and cannibalism of these crazy plays! 

The group then discusses their experience with the play and traces the line of Jacobean tragedy and violence thru to the explosively violent British playwrights of the 90s like Sarah Kane and Mark Ravenhill. 

Portrait of Giovanna d'Aragona, attributed to the workshop of Raphael. (The real life inspiration of the Duchess of Malfi)

Tabling: Romeo and Juliet Act V

In our final episode of Romeo and Juliet we (Ariana Karp, Nicholas Koy Santillo, Emily Ota, Jane May and Tedra Millan) close up the discussion and recap our production concept!

Tabling: Romeo and Juliet Act IV

We continue our walk down memory lane with Nicholas Koy Santillo,Ariana Karp, Emily Ota, Jane May and Tedra Milan discussing Act IV of Romeo and Juliet.

Tabling: Romeo and Juliet Act III

This week Nicholas Koy Santillo is joined by Ariana Karp, Emily Ota and Brittany Chandler in our discussion of the third - and pivotal - act. 

Tabling: Romeo and Juliet Act II

Hey Tablers, welcome back to our archived recording of Romeo and Juliet (from when we weren't even called Tabling!).  This week we are a smaller group - Nicholas Koy Santillo is joined by Ariana Karp, Emily Ota and Brittany Chandler.  

The three of us discuss the set-up to the fall that is Act II, including - Can Juliet be a total badass? 

enjoy!

Tabling: Romeo and Juliet Act I

Welcome back and into our discussion of the first act of Romeo and Juliet.  This week Nicholas Koy Santillo is joined by Sam Gilroy, Tedra Millan, Samantha Blinn, Ariana Karp and Jennifer Chandler.  

In this episode we discuss;

• The sexual and dirty world of Verona.
• Does love at first sight exist?
• Old man Benvolio...?
• anod other awesome history points!

Tabling: Romeo and Juliet Introduction

Happy New Year Tablers!  For our first production of the new year, we thought we would take a look back at where we began,  so we are releasing our first ever recordings - discussing Romeo and Juliet.  For this series Nicholas Koy Santillo acts as Director, and brings a clear and specific concept to the group for his favourite Shakespeare show.  Also in the room for this introduction episode are; Sam Gilroy (Keep an eye out for his upcoming show 'Billions' on Showtime, premiering January 17!), Jennifer Chandler (Who has just begun her tour across America with the smash hit musical 'Once'), Tedra Millan (Currently wrapping up a long run of 'The Flick' at the Barrow Street theatre in NYC, which closes Jan 10), Ariana Karp (Newly appointed Associate Artistic Director of the International Shakespeare Centre), and Samantha Blinn (fellow LAMDA grad and founding member of the Ducdame Ensemble).

In this episode Koy reveals his concept for Romeo and Juliet, and we discuss the historical and cultural points surrounding it.

Tabling: A Christmas Carol

Happy Merry Times!  In celebration of the holidays we are happy to share our first Tabling Christmas Special, where we take a look at Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol!  

This episode was recorded in partnership with 'Blank Space' and contains both the normal pre-read discussion as well as a special readthrough (starting @ 34:56).

Recorded from New York City, join Emily Ota, Jane May, Katie Willmorth, Patrick Harvey, Jonathan Minton, Ian Hawkins, Mitchel Kawash, and Autumn Dornfeld in a festive discussion of a, now traditional, Christmas story - both on and off the stage!

CAST (and yes, Jane did make up some character names here)

Ian-- Scrooge

Emily-- Narrator 1, Mrs Cratchit

Caroline-- Narrator 2, Husband, Martha Cratchit (aka "Cratchit Children")

Jane--Narrator 3, Charwoman

Autumn--Gentleman 1, Fan, Belle, Sister, Shifty man, Maid

Katie--Gentleman 2, Spirit 1, Tiny Tim, Niece, Mrs. Dilber

Patrick--Fred, Spirit 2, Business Man 1, Old Joe

Jonathan--Marley, Fezziwig, Peter Cratchit (aka Cratchit Children), Business Man 2, Turkey Boy

Mitchel--Bob Cratchit, Young Scrooge, Middle Scrooge, Toppe

Tabling: All's Well Act V

All's Well That Ends Well - Or does it?  Join Nicholas Koy Santillo, Courtney Larkin, Lindsay Huebner and Joseph Richardson as we breakdown the final act of this misunderstood Shakespearean comedy!

Tabling: All's Well Act IV

Join Nicholas Koy Santillo, Lindsay Huebner, Courtney Larkin and Joseph Richardson as we discuss Act IV of All's Well That Ends Well.  In this act we discuss;  

• The Public and Private personas of Helena
• Monsieur Parolles - the character everyone wants to play!
• Playing famous characters & replacing actors
• How much we love War Horse 
• The freedom of working with lesser known works

Tabling: All's Well Act III

As most of the Tabling team is in rehearsals for upcoming shows (check out StairwellTheatre.com, and WhiteBearTheatre.co.uk to see what we're working on!)  The intro blurb is sadly short...

So enjoy Nicholas Koy Santillo, Courtney Larkin, Lindsay Huebner and Joseph Richardson as we delve into Act III of All's Well That Ends Well!

Tabling: All's Well Act II

As most of the Tabling team is in rehearsals for upcoming shows (check out StairwellTheatre.com, and WhiteBearTheatre.co.uk to see what we're working on!)  The intro blurb is sadly short...

So enjoy Nicholas Koy Santillo, Courtney Larkin, Lindsay Huebner and Joseph Richardson as we delve into Act II of All's Well That Ends Well!

As an apology, here is a picture of Shakespeare dog

A SPECIAL Tabling: Good King Richard

History is always written by the victor.  After Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the battle of Bosworth, Tudor Historians created the elaborate fiction of a deformed usurper who schemed and murdered his way onto the English throne.  But who was the real Richard III?

Drawing on contemporary sources, unsullied by Tudor propaganda, ‘Good King Richard’ dramatises for the very first time, the true events which propelled Richard onto the throne of England and two years later, led to his downfall.  This is a tale of murder, betrayal, rebellion, revenge and political intrigue, starting with the drowning of the Duke of Clarence in a butt of Malmsey and ending on the eve of the Battle of Bosworth.

A century after Richard’s death, the testimony of his greatest enemy, Cardinal John Morton provided the basis for a celebrated play which would colour attitudes to Richard for four centuries.  ‘Good King Richard’ finally sets the record straight.

A very special episode, and a first for Tabling: The Podcast!  We were able to get our mic into Day One of rehearsals for the upcoming world premier of 'Good King Richard', performing at the White Bear theatre in London, UK.  Good King Richard runs from on Dec. 8-20 and tickets can be found here. 

The entire cast and crew sat around the table, upstairs above a Kenington pub, reading through and discussing this new work for an entire day.  Co-director and writer, Ian Dixon-Potter, allowed us to record the discussions for Tabling, which we are now happy to share to our audience.  As a new work and a contemporary interpretation of a classical figure - notarized by William Shakespeare - the discussions  weaved between the plays structure, the historical facts and interpretations, as well as the ambitions and intentions of the characters.   

While the microphone sat in the middle of the table, the cast went through pick and prodding the text, analyzing and questioning - exactly the type of discussion which Tabling: The Podcast hopes to show to our audience!   Please let us know if you would like to hear more of this format - recording day one of an actual production - by tweeting @tablingpodcast, or emailing tablingpodcast@gmail.com

The Cast:

• Zara Banks as Margaret Beaufort
• Albert Clack as Bishop Morton
• Peter Collington as King Edward IV
• Catherine Dunne as Elizabeth Woodville
• Ben Harper as Lord Buckingham
• John McLear as Lord Hastings
• Will Mytum as Henry Tudor
• Nicholas Koy Santillo as King Richard III

*Technical Note* We have done all we can to improve the audio quality of the recording.  As this was a special allowance, and the focus was on the rehearsal, the audio quality is not ideal, and we apologize for that.   

Tabling: All's Well Act I

Join Nicholas Koy Santillo, Lindsay Huebner, Courtney Larkin and Joseph Richardson as we open a can of analysis on Act I of All's Well That Ends Well!

Tabling: All's Well That Ends Well - Introduction

We are back in London again!  Koy is joined by Lindsay Huebner, Joseph Richardson and an old friend, but a new voice to Tabling - Courtney Larkin, who is our resident director for All's Well.  In this introduction episode we open up this not-so-popular Shakespearean (problem?) comedy and outline how we will be looking at the text and this production, in the following weeks.

Tabling: Othello Act V

Our final discussion of the final act, with Nicholas Koy Santillo, Lucy Atkinson, Linsday Huebner, Whitton Frank and Joe Richardson.  In this act we talk about:

• Fighting in the dark
• Rodrigo continues to be just a sweet boy
• Iago and Rodrigo's relationship
• How we never have enough time to talk about the text!

LAMDA grad Rory Kinnear and Adrian Lester in Othello.

Tabling: Othello Act IV

This week we return with Nicholas Koy Santillo, Lucy Atkinson, Lindsay Huebner, Whitton Frank, Joe Richardson and Robert Bradley to talk about the penultimate act! Some of our discussion points are:

• Othello's fall from composure
• Othello & Dark Knight parallels?!
• Clever, clever, bad guys
• Othello's temper
• Rodrigo's plight
• Desdemona's final scene, preparing for Othello

The Moor of Venus

Tabling: Othello Act III

During our longest episode to date, Nicholas Koy Santillo is joined by Lucy Atkinson, Lindsay Huebner, Whitton Frank, Joe Richardson and Robert Bradley.  Join us from the Gielgud theatre in London's West end while we discuss the meaty centre of this awesome tragedy.  During this episode we discuss, among others;

• Shakespearean clowns. Why are they there? Why are they always cut?
• The drastic emotional swings of the characters in Othello - are they justified?
• Emilia and Iago's messed up marriage.
• The incredible capacity for Shakespeare to give his actors direction through the structure of his verse.
• The domestic scale of the narrative.
• Why do we call it a 'feminine' ending, and what does tell the actor? 
• Iago's ingenious capacity to persuade and convince, without outright lying.

Hugh Quarshie as Othello and Lucian Msamati as Iago in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2015 production of Othello.

Tabling: Othello Act II

This week Nicholas Koy Santillo is joined by Lucy Atkinson, Lindsay Huebner, Whitton Frank, and Joseph Richardson.  During the our discussion of the second act (Where we arrive in Cyprus and begin preparations of revelry and villainy) we discuss:

• Who is this new and wonderful Mr. Richardson?
• Where is Cyprus, really...?
  • Follow This Link to see a nice history of the expansion of Chistianity throughout the Baltics and Middle East during the middle ages.
• Cassio's drinking problem.
• Iago's shows of wit and double-faced nature.
• Reputation, reputation, reputation
• The play's two possible timelines & the dramatic practice of 'double-time'.

Note: The quote that Whitton remembered: "If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself" is attributed to Joseph Goebbels (Hitler's Propaganda minister), among others.

The famous Constantin Stanislavski as Othello for his 1986 performance.

Tabling: Othello Act I

Nicholas Koy Santillo is Joined by; Lucy Atkinson, Lindsay Huebner and Whitton Frank for our Act I discussion, where we talk about;

• Iago's justifications for hating Othello
• Verse structure, and it's insight into the characters states of mind, education, etc.
• Lucy's love of the sweet sweet Rodrigo
• Barbantio's worst wake-up ever
• Desdemona's strength and awesomeness
• The love between Othello and Desdemona
• The historical context for the war within the play; specifically the Cyprus wars

Othello was frequently performed by prominent white actors in blackface, up into the 1970's.